1. Forensic Drug Analysis

2. Screening and Confirmation
Forensic Scientists determine the identity of drugs using…
Screening Tests – preliminary tests used to reduce the # of possible identities of an unknown substance (color tests & microcrystalline tests)
Confirmation – a single test that specifically identifies a substance.

3. Qualitative vs. Quantitative
Identification of drugs may be…
Qualitative – descriptive (An unknown sample may be determined to contain heroin and quinine.)
Quantitative-amount (A sample may be determined to contain 10 % heroin and 90% quinine)

4. Color Tests Heroin Meth
When mixed with a certain reagent, a drug can produce a characteristic color
Useful for field investigators
Screening tests only
YouTube - Spray drug test kit for Cocaine residue detection
Heroin
Meth

5. Color Tests
Marquis – heroin, morphine, opium derivatives (purple) amphetamines (orange-brown)
Dille-Koppanyi-barbiturates (violet -blue)
Duquenois-Levine – marijuana (purple)
Van Urk – LSD (blue-purple)
Scott test – cocaine (blue)

6. After color test…
A more analytical test must be conducted to get rid of any false positives.
These test could include:
Chromatography –separate mixtures of drugs
Spectrophotometer- shows how molecules are bonded

7. Flow Chart